By Ferdie G. Domingo
THE Agriculture Department said Friday that the damage done to crops, livestock and fisheries by Typhoon “Lando” has reached P8.6 billion as of Oct. 22.
Lando affected 317,063 hectares of rice, 15,822 of these with no chance of recovery. Production losses for rice reached 510,439 metric tons with a value of P7.09 billion.
Lando also damaged 38,373 metric tons of high-value crops worth P1.4 billion.
Some 14,472 hectares of corn were also damaged, 986 hectares of which had no chance of recovery. Production losses were placed at P146.5 million.
Damage to fisheries amounted to P 20.9 million while damage to livestock amounted to P 8.7 million.
Agriculture Undersecretary Emerson Palad said the agency has already ordered its regional offices and units to release prepositioned bags of rice and corn for immediate replanting of damaged farms.
Palad said the department is now focused on rice and corn but measures for high-value crops and livestock are being prepared as well.
He said the country has sufficient rice stock to cover the ensuing supply shortage due to the typhoon.
While the damage has been considerable, the department added that the rain brought by the typhoon would offset the devastating effects of the El Niño on agricultural production.
On Friday, Nueva Ecija was placed under a state of calamity, with damage to agriculture in the province estimated at P3.3 billion.
Gov. Aurelio Umali said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan led by Vice Gov. Jose Gay Padiernos declared the state of calamity to help speed up rescue and rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas.
He said the provincial government would use at least P75 million as calamity funds for the province.
A province-wide suspension of classes in all levels has been in effect since last Saturday to give way to the continuing relief and rehabilitation efforts and allow the affected communities to recover from the devastation.
Umali, chairman of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council, said that based on an initial damage assessment by the provincial agriculturist, some 134,000 hectares of farmlands planted to palay were damaged.
In addition, some P66 million of vegetables and fruits were damaged in 438 hectares of land.
Farmlands are still under water in the towns of Gabaldon, Jaen and San Antonio, and Cabanatuan City.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Friday requested all parishes, shrines and chapels in the Archdiocese to again ask for a second collection from the faithfuls during Masses this Sunday for the victims of Typhoon Lando and the Church’s disaster fund. With Sara Susanne D. Fabunan